Austin Bleiweiss rides a high wave created by the winds of Hurricane Michael during his day off from firefighting next to the Naples Pier in Naples, FL. Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018. Bleiweiss was born and raised in Naples, Florida. H. Leo Kim/Naples Daily News

Skimboarder Austin Bleiweiss rides high waves created near the beach next to the Naples Pier by the winds of Hurricane Michael passing offshore Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018. Bleiweiss, who was enjoying his day off from firefighting, was born and raised in Naples. H. Leo Kim/Naples Daily News

The advisories indicated those beaches were in the "poor" category for water quality, based on levels of enterococci bacteria, an indicator of fecal pollution, in the water, according to a news release.

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Skimboarder, Austin Bleiweiss of Naples enjoys high tide during his day off from the firefighter job at the beach near the Naples Pier. Blesiweiss was born and raised in Naples, Florida.
H. Leo Kim, Naples Daily News

The advisories warn against swimming at the posted beaches. Anyone who chooses to swim anyway should "rinse off immediately" once they get out of the water, said Health Department spokeswoman Kristine Gajos.

"It may cause an infection or rash," Gajos said Thursday.

Collier officials urged beachgoers to heed the advisories and stay out of the water until conditions improve.

The high bacteria levels were found during routine sampling Monday. The beaches were retested Tuesday to determine whether advisories would be needed.

Once conditions allow it, samplers will return to the affected beaches for a new round of tests. They will continue sampling until bacteria levels fall enough to lift the advisory.

"We anticipate going back out either today or tomorrow," Gajos said.

Bonita Beach Park and Little Hickory Island Park also tested "poor" for bacteria Monday, but follow-up test results Wednesday came back negative for bacteria, and health advisories were not posted.

Sampling in Collier showed bacteria levels to be greater than 71 colonies per 100 milliliters of marine water, which puts those beaches in the poor range. "Good" levels are considered to be 0 to 35 colonies per 100 milliliters of marine water, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.

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In this June 23, 2017 photo, Robert Ore cools off just south of the Naples Pier in Naples despite a health advisory. The June 2017 health advisory warning was later lifted by the Florida Department of Health in Collier County for the water surrounding the Naples Pier. A roughly four-block section of the beach had been placed on the health warning due to high levels of bacteria most likely caused by high levels of rainfall and runoff.(Photo11: Luke Franke/ Naples Daily News)

Although the exact cause of the elevated levels is unknown, runoff from heavy rains and heavy surf from Hurricane Michael could be contributing factors, Gajos said.

"We don't always understand these phenomena and with Hurricane Michael churning up the Gulf, we know there are multiple factors that cause these conditions," county spokesman Mike Sheffield said in an emailed statement.

"This is not an issue just in Collier County; health advisories have also been issued for several beaches in Sarasota County."

At Vanderbilt Beach, some visitors Thursday morning were not aware of the advisories, even though a sign was posted there. Instead, red tide was fresh on their minds.

Becky Tamasi, who is visiting from New Jersey, dipped her feet in the choppy water but didn't go much farther.

Although she did not know about the health advisory, Tamasi, 53, said she has been mostly steering clear of the water anyway.

"Our first day here there were literally thousands of dead fish," she said. "And we couldn't even walk. So we were thinking there is no way we are going in.

"And even though it's cleared up and the dead fish are gone, we're still like, 'Nah, we're not taking a chance.' "